Smoke-ring signaling drum



April v16, 1957 D. R. WARD SMOKE-RING SIGNALING DRUM Filed March 22, 1954 INVENTOR A90A/van A?. Meo

ATTORNEY United States Patent O SMOKE-RING SIGNALING DRUM Donald R. Ward, Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Application March 22, 1954, Serial No. 417,682

4 Claims. (Cl. 46-9) The present invention relates to toy devices for emitting simulated puffs of smoke, and more particularly to a device which is adapted to produce a sound, as well as to eject a powdered mist to simulate smoke or the like signal.

An object of this invention is to provide a toy device in the form of a combination toy drum and smoke generator connected to each other to form an air passage. The smoke generator contains a harmless ne powder such as our or talcum powder and at each beat on the drum head, a realistic tom-tom tone is produced as well as a realistic visual ettect of a puit of smoke emanating from the generator.

Another object of the invention is to shape the exit portion of the smoke generator in such manner that each putt of smoke emerges in the shape of a smoke ring thus increasing the play value of the toy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a very simple and inexpensive toy device which is safe in operation and of great play value to children.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one form of the novel toy device.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of the device as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view of a modication of the smoke generator.

Referring to the form of invention shown in Figures l and 2, the numeral 10 designates a toy drum, numeral 11 is the smoke generator and numeral 12 the air passage tube between the drum and the smoke generator.

The drum is of conventional type consisting of a cylindrical shell 13 covered at both ends by the drum heads 14 and 15 held in position by the cord or wire to. The drum heads may be formed of parchment but a preferred material is rubber which will produce increased resiliency and a more desirable torn-tom tone. The drum heads and the shell may be brightly painted with an American Indian theme. The drum departs from the usual construction in the provision of an opening 1'7 in the shell 13 to receive the air passage tube 12.

The air passage tube 12 is provided at one of its ends with a flange 13 bearing against the inner surface of the shell and is of such diameter as to form a tight friction fit with the opening 17. The opposite end of the tube 12 is bent upwardly at 19 and is inwardly threaded at 26.

The smoke generator comprises a lower tunnel shape member 21 and an inverted truste-conical shaped member 22 threaded together at their widest diameters as shown at 23. Securely held between the two members is a rubber diaphragm 24, for supporting the smoke generating powder 25 in the form of our, talcum powder or other harmless fine powder. The lower end of the funnel shaped member 21 is provided with an outwardly threaded portion 26 for securement with threaded portion 2d. The upper or outlet end of the member 22 is open and is provided with an inwardly directed ange portion 27 to form a restricted opening 28 to aid in producing puits Lit) ICC'

of smoke in the form of smoke rings. Preferably, the smoke generator may be painted to simulate an Indian tepee. A drum stick 29 completes the toy.

in operation, each beat on the drum head transmits a pressure wave through the air passage tube 12 against the underside of the diaphragm 24. The tine powder lying on the diaphragm is agitated, and rising motion of the diaphragm causes the emission of a puff of smoke in the orm of a smoke ring out of the restricted opening 28. The beat against the drum head may be made by the drum stick 29 or may be caused by a tap of the resilient drum head with the linger tips or the palm of the hand.

l'n Figure 3, there is shown a modied form of smoke generator. ln this form of the invention, the generator consists of a cylindrical member 311 having a closed lower end 31, and a frusto-conical shaped, enlarged upper end 32. The upper end 32 is formed with an inwardly directed flange 33 to provide the restricted opening 34.-. A threaded opening 35 is formed in the cylindrical member 3d to receive the ldownwardly curved end 36 of the air passage tube 37. The tube 37 has the flange 38 cooperating with the drum 10 which is similar to the drum shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this form of the invention, a beat against the drum head causes a puitc of air to be directed against the smoke powder 25 lying on the bottom wall 31.. The powder is carried by the air to the top of the generator where it emerges in the form of a smoke ring.

The novel features of construction and the advantages flowing therefrom are believed to be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. 1t will be apparent that minor changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as may be required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim is:

1. A sounding toy device comprising a percussion drum having a resilient drum head, a smoke generator, having fine powder therein, an air passage between the interior of the drum and the interior of the smoke generator, and an outlet at the upper end of the smoke generator whereby a beat on the drum head will cause a puit of powder to emerge from said opening.

2. A sounding toy device comprising a percussion drum having a resilient drum head, a smoke generator, a diaphragm mounted in said generator and receiving tine powder thereon, an air passage between the interior of the drum and the interior of the generator below the diaphragm, and an outlet at the upper end of the smoke generator whereby a beat on the drum head will cause a pnfi ot powder to emerge from said opening.

3. A sounding toy device as `dene-d in claim 2, said outlet at the upper end of the generator consisting of a restricted opening whereby the puit ot powder emerging from the opening is in the form of a ring.

4. A sounding toy device comprising a percussion drum having a resilient drum head, a smoke generator comprising a cylindrical member having a closed lower end forming a bottom and an upper outlet, fine powder lying on the bottom of the cylindrical member, and an air passage between the interior of the drum and the interior of the cylindrical member whereby a beat on the drum head will cause a puit of powder to emerge from said opening. l

RLfei-ences Cited in the tile of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 208,102 Knapp Sept. 17, 1878 1,873,677 Traver Aug. 23, 1932 2,523,087 Baggott Sept. 19, 1950 2,546,123 Goldfarb Mar. 20, 1951 

